I always tell clients that the best kind of marketing solves problems for their customers.

This could be the promise of next-day delivery for people on a deadline, amazing deals for people on a budget or great thought leadership for people who need help understanding a particular issue related to their business or personal life.

But for many clients, delivering great thought leadership creates a conflict. They worry that if they give too much away, their competitors will gain an advantage and perhaps even steal their “secret sauce.”

My advice to them is to stop worrying about their competitors and start worrying about their customers.

If your competitors are busying themselves brushing up on your thought leadership, it is because they are worried about you.

There are two things your competitors can do with your thought leadership:

They can try and emulate it – but risk being seen as a second-rate imitator simply hanging on to your coattails. Remember, agility is key in the digital age, and having the first-mover advantage alongside the confidence of your message is key to winning more deals.

They can start picking holes in their own strategy and spend more time trying to fix their problems than solving their potential customers’ problems.

Either way, you win.

If you are looking to develop your business and are looking for the best advice regarding strategy and focus, go straight to the people who pay your wages – your customers.

Your competitors don’t always know best. So why don’t you try being the leader and letting them worry about following in your footsteps?

Article Info

Feb 27, 2014Written by John HayesMarketing Strategist and Contributing Author

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